Guard for containers



sept'. s, 1942.v

l. D. s||. LMAN Erm.

GUARD FOR CONTAINERS Filed Jan. l2, 1940 V 11 LMU.

ffl/2| Patented Sept. 8, 1942 GUARD Fon CONTAINERS Isaac D. Sillman and Harry A. Shane, New York, N. Y.

application January 12, 1940, serial No. 313,470

4 Claims.

This invention relates to protective devices, particularly for the purpose of preventing the unauthorized removal of milk and other articles which are placed at the doors of dwellings.

It is customary, particularly in the delivery of milk, cream and juices for the bottles or oontainers to be placed at the doors or windows of stores, apartments and dwelling houses. It often happens that unauthorized individuals remove one or more of such articles and it is difficult to trace such unauthorized removal. Therefore, the present invention is intended and adapted to provide a device which will prevent such removal.

In practicing the present invention, there is provided a locking member which is associated with the door at which the containers or bottles are placed. The device has associated with it a means for clamping over or around the milk container and by a latching or locking means it is held in place until such time as authorized removal is possible. Due to the association of the device with the door and door frame. it is impossible to remove the container and contents after the device has been locked thereon without first opening the door. sons who have access to the dwelling place are able to'remove such containers.

' In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts.

Fig. 1 isa fragmentary, elevational View of a door and frame showing the device in place and locking a milk container;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the lock itself, some parts being broken away for clearness and showing the device in locked position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the lock in inoperative or open position;

Fig. 4 is a front view of said lock;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lock and its associated parts;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, cross-sectional View taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the guard latch.

The usual door frame or jamb I has a door 2 tted within the same and hinged to the frame along the line 3. A latching device or lock 4 is attached to the door frame at the hinged edge of the door and has pivoted therein a rod 5 at the end of which is carried a cap or cover or container holder E which is rectangular in crosssection and is adapted to fit over a container 1 of milk or the like, said container being of similar shape and size so that the cover 6 will t over a substantial portion thereof. Into the jamb Thereby, only those per;

of the door there is tted an angular 'member 8 which is held therein by screws '9 or they like. The lock 4 itself consists of a casing having a pair of angular plates IIJ and I I, the latter having formed integrally therewith the attaching portion 8. A pair of tubes I2 forming sockets are pressed or otherwise fitted between plates I!! and II and serve to hold the same in their proper positions. On the face of plate I I is a rectangular or similar opening I3 communicating with identical keyhole`slots I4 and I5 located respectively below and above opening I3. The keeper I6 having a stop member Il near the forward end, projects through opening I3 so that the latch member I8 extends in a position 'to be engaged as later ydescribed. A spiral or other spring I9 surrounding keeper I6 abuts at one end against plate I and at the other end against stop I9' constituting part of said keeper.

In the opening I4 is placed guard 2D which is pivoted at point ZI in said opening I4, the notches 2 I in the sides of guard 20 loosely fitting into the walls of opening I4 and holding the same in proper position, and has an angular upturned end 22 adapted to engage against stop Il. The pivot point 2I is so arranged that in the normal or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 3,

angular portion 22 is out Vof engagement, leaving the keeper I6 free to move.

The rod 5 has its outer end bent at right angles as shown at 23, said portion being held in pivotsy 24 of cover 6, The opposite end 23 of rod 5 is similarly bent, as shown at 23, to fit into one or other of tubes I2.

As shown in Fig..l, the device is in locked position and in dotted lines there ale shown the same elementsjust prior to being locked over the container l. Normally, while the device is in inoperative position, it is desirable that the rod 5 be in a substantially vertical position so as not to interfere with the opening and closingl of the door and to facilitate the later locking of the device upon the milk or other container. For this purpose there is provided in plate II. a pair of slots 25 at the upper end thereof, whereby one end of flat spring 26 may be held in said slots. Said spring has a portion 21 bearing against the inside of plate II and is formed with a bowed portion 28 which is intended and adapted to hold the rod 5 in vertical position, as more particularly shown in Fig. 6.

A cover 29 fits over` the entire device 4 and is secured to plate II by means of set screw 3i).

As will be noted more particularly in Fig. 4, there is an opening I3 for the latch I8, an opening I4 for the guard 20, and a pair of slots 25 for the spring 28. There is provided in addition opening I5 similar to I4, but on the opposite side thereof, and there is also provided a pair of slots 25 similar to slots 25 but positioned oppositely thereof. 'Ihere is also provided a pair of tubes I2, only the lower of which is utilized for the reception of rod 5 as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of the additional tube I2, opening I5 and slots 25 is to enable the plate II to be used in making an assembly of the entire device Whether the door swings in one direction or the other. In

other words, since doors are mounted intwo different positions, it is necessary to provide a clevice which may be assembled in suchamanner as to be accommodated in one `or lthe other -of these positions interchangeably. Therefore, with a single type of plate such as plate lISI the entire assembly is made to accommodate whatever the condition may be.

In the operation #of the device the "rod 5 Ywith cover-Ii V`is -placed in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 6, pushed to 'the right .to pass '28 and-the door `is locked. 'When a container of milk isl delivered, the container 'I is placed on the oor adjacent to the door and the rod 5 is pulled down until cover 6 ts 'over' container 1. In its movemen't'the rod slips .past latch lI8 and rests upon guard 2 @raising-the end 22 to fully lock the keeper in place, as shown in Fig. v2. In this position itis impossible to remove the vcontainer 'I leven if one has access to the latch I8. In order to remove -th'econ'tainer l, it is necessary to first open thedoor and then pull rod 5 inwardly, thus removing end 23' Yfrom tube `or .socket I2, 'allowing angular member 22 to fall in the position shown in Fig. 3 to unlock the device 4. With the rod '5 removed from the lock, the container I is readily taken therefrom andthe rod 'and 'cover may "then be replaced in the lock in a vertical position or may be held within the house until such Atime as it is desired -toplace it in operative position.

Although rthe invention has been described specifically with the showing of .a single vembodiment thereof, -it isquite apparent that 'this embodiment illustrates the principles involvedan'd is not to limit the scope of the-invention. Forin- -stance, although I have shownv a-hol'd'er in'. Fig. 1

fora single milk container, 'it -is quite 'apparent that the cover-6 may be ymade :in multiples and may -accommodate two Vor -more containers. sIt may also be made Vsoias to'accommodat'e containers of diierent sizes, shapes and materials. Furthermore,the device maybe-'so constructed as to be usable for locking other@v articles than containersV of milk.

Thetop `of'cover 6 may'have a circularcutout section -6 to iitover the neck -of a bottle or `other container. such .size and extent as to enclosera plurality of containers stacked one above the `other. The whole device may be removable'from the frame-at will including the member fitting-,into the xjamie-of the door or .the .slide of awindow. Said member may be fitted into the strike side of adoor as well as the hinge side. yThe reference in -the claims to the positioning A.of saidmember is to be considered in its broadest .sense as :the exact Also, the 'cover may beef position thereof may be greatly varied within the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A guard for articles comprising a rod, a lock, a socket in said lock, one end of said rod being bent at right angles and extending horizontally into said socket, said rod being adapted to extend substantially parallel to and adjacent a door in closed position, a spring pressed keeper in said lock and extending .horizontally through one side thereof into the path of said parallel portion of said rod and adapted to hold same in locked position, a guard below said keeper havingone portion adapted to contact with said keeper to prevent retraction thereof when the other-portion of said guard is contacted by said rod.

l2. A guard for articles comprising a rod, a lock, a socket in said lock, one end of said rod being bent at right angles and extending horizontally into said socket, said :rod being adapted .to extend substantially parallel to and adjacentza .doorin closed position, a spring :pressed Akeeper in said lock and extendingfhorizontally through Yonezside thereof into the path of said'parallel portionof said rod and adapted'to hold same'in ylocked position, a guard below -said keeper having one 'portion adapted to contact with said keeper .to prevent retraction thereof when the other vportion of said guard is contacted by said rod, said rod being removably mounted in said socket :and adapted to be detached by movement'toward said door when the latter is in'open position.

3. A guard for articles comprising afrod,a lock, a socket in said lock, one :end of saidrod being bent at right angles and extending horizontally into said socket, said rod being adapted to extend substantially parallel to and adjacent a door in closed position,l a spring pressed keeper in said lock and extending horizontally through one side thereof into the path of said parallel portion .of said 'rod and adapted to hold same in locked position, a rpivoted guard below said keeper -having one portion adapted to contact with said keeper toprevent retractionv thereof when the other portion of said guard is contacted by saidzrodfzthe guard being so pivotedthat -it is normally-held in inoperative position by gravity Aand in operative position by said rod. j

4. A guard for articles comprising la rodaflock, a pair of -spacedparallel plates secured together to provide a casing, a -horizontal tube passing through said plates and-securing -thefsameftogether and constituting afso'cket in said lock, one end 'of 'said rod being -bent at :right anglesand extending horizontallyzinto saidsocket, saidfrod being adapted -to Aextend Vsubstantially .parallel to and adjacent adoor in closed, position, ra spring pressed keeper' in said lock and extending :horizontally through one vside thereof intollthepath of said parallel portion of said rodarrd adapted to hold same in locked position, -a-guard below said keeper having 4one,portionxada'pted to contact with'said keeper .to prevent retractionz thereof -when the other -portionof'zsaid guard ,is .contacted byfsaidrod.

AISA-AC D. SILLMA-N. 'HARRY A. -SHANEL 

